Illegal Villas in Close Concert with Illegal Transport Operators?

Local Transport Operators Calls for Closer Scrutiny and Crackdown on Unlicensed Tourist Transport in Bali.

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(4/22/2007)

Nyoman Sudiartha, the owner of the local transport company Aryantha Putra Transport complained bitterly to the Indonesian language Bisnis Bali about the illegal transport operators in Bali who target the illegal villa sector. According to Sudiartha, the customers lost to illegal transport operators working from villa bases are causing huge losses to the local transport industry.

Sudiartha said the vehicles serving the villas are almost certainly operating without the required izin pariwisata - a special license tag that must be attached to the registration plates of vehicles carrying tourists. In the worst instances, says Sudiartha, the illegal vehicles even crisscross the island with the logo of the illegal villas affixed to their doors.

In principle, illegal tourist transport discovered by police to be carrying tourists can be halted and the passengers made to disembark and transfer to local licensed metered taxis.

The transport entrepreneur called on the Indonesian Hotel & Restaurant Association (PHRI) and Bali Villa Association (BHA) to issue instructions to their members to obey local law and order that only licensed tourism vehicle be used for the transportation of tourists. At the same time, Sudiartha called on transportation authorities to crack down on vehicles operating on the island without the required safety inspections and insurance coverage provided to all licensed vehicles.

In separate comments, Bagus Soediana, the Chairman of the Bali Tourism Transport Association (Pawabi), confirmed Sudiartha’s complaints saying that the sudden upsurge in illegal vehicle operations has grown apace with the sudden increase in villas in Bali.

Island Visitors concerned as to whether their transport is a legally operated vehicle should look for a small square metallic plate attached to the vehicle's license plate. Vehicles lacking the additional tag are in most liklihood not authorized to carry tourists.